Folding box.



Patented Aug. 18, 1914,

C. H. SBEGMILLER.

FOLDING BOX.

APPLIOATION FILM MAY 22, 1911.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. SEE'GMI'LLEB., or CHICAGO, ILLINo'Is, aseIGNon or ONE-HAL? 'ro 'r'aE'n '1.

DENNIS, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIa FOLDING Box.

Speclcation of Letters Patent.

patented Aug. 18, i914.

.Application led Hay 22. 1911. Serial No. 838,771.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, (nAnLns H. Smo- MILnan, a citizen of the l'nited Statee, re siding at. Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain -new and useful Improvements in` Folding Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to thejconstrudion of paper or paste-board boxes or llids adapted to be supplied to the consumer in knockdown or collapsed form and convertible into box-like fo'rm provided with endflaps having fiexible retaining strips adapted to be locked in position between a wall and the associated folded corner-sections when the parts are erected to box-like form, and the object of my invention is to provide a new and improved combination of elements by which the parte may be assembled and shipped in knock-down form and then readily erected in box-like position with the sides and ends retained and held in operative position'.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parte as herein described and then pointed out in the appended claim.

My inventio'n is applicable to a box-cover or lid as well as to the box-body itself, and it. is understood that the term box in the specification and claim refers to and includes the former as well as the latter.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a plan view of a collapsed box containing my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the blank of Fig. 1 with the .endtlaps folded inwardly u on th'e ends: Fig. il is a sectional view on t e line 3--3 of Fig. 2: Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the endlaps; Fig. is a similar Aview of one of the retaining strips; Fig. 6 is an inside View of the box looking toward one of the ends when the parts are erected in box-like form with one und of the flap broken away to' better show how the ends of the associated retaining stripsl are interlocked between the triangular folded end-sections and the endwall; and Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

The box is formed from a` suitable blank A adapted to be folded along the parallel folds or creases a a to form the box sides l and ends B', the creases or scores forming hinges or flexible joints t0 erect the sides and ends into box-like form upon the base formed by the main portion or body of the blank; the creases intersectA to form the nf-ual rectangular corner-sections C which are scored or creased diagonally as at c so that when the sides and ends are turned up the. portions 'of the corner-sections will fon'n inturned corner-folds lying against the associated end of the box in the usual manner, and eto which they may be secured as by staples c' 'if desired.

0n each 'lend B' of the blank is a (lap D extending ain-oss the end. each flap being llcxibly joined or hinged to an cnd by a suitable crease or score l and folding over when the box is erected to form a retaining 'flap for the inolded corner-sections C. Each returning flap is provided with a' flexible retaining strip E which is secured at its center' to the outer face of the llap and along its flee edge as by a suitable staple e which preferably also passes through the associated end B as shown in Fig.3, though it is of course understood that only the associated parts D and E may be conmedted by this or equivalent fastening device without. 'in any way departing from my invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. Each flap D is provided near each end with an outwardly facing angular portion or edge d as for example by forming triangular notches therein, and each stn'p E near each end is provided with an inwardly facing angular portion or edge e. as for example by forming triangular notches therein, the associated angular edges or portions of these parts facing oppositely and adapted to interlock, and these parte are so arranged that, the Aends e1 of the strip pass to the under or inner side of the llap and extend or pro- 'ect beyond the notches or shoulders of the aps in position to underlie the infolded corner-sections under which they are passed or tucked when the box is erected. The angular edges or notches in the llap and strip are of such depth that when these parte are in place the outer edges of the strip and flap are tiush. and the notches or shoulders of the flaps are located inside the folds of the corner sections when the sides and flaps are turned inwardly to position as clearly shown in Figs 2 and 6 so that in the of assembling the parts in colla form the placing of the strips on the liaps with their associated angular portions or notches in engagement places the strips in correct alinement and in relation to engage the infolded corner-sections and to receive the fastening staples e. The latter are secured at approximately the center of the strips in order to leave the lateral portions of the strips free to flex or bend so that their ends may be easily' and readily' passed to their final positions between the infolded cornersections C and the associated end vB when the parts are erected to box-like form.

When the collapsed box is made the sides and comer-sections are folded over inwardly upon the bottom; if the box-ends B and the end-fiaps D are secured together as for example y the sta les e the end-flaps are inturned as shown 1n Fig. 2 and the staples c need notbe employed. If the end-flaps and box-ends are not secured together as by the staples e the end-flaps are extended as shown in Fig. 1 and the staples c or equivalent fastenings are employed to secure one portion of each corner-section C to the associated end B'.

Where the collapsed box is erected to boxlike form the sides and ends are erected in the usual manner, the corner-sections C folding inwardl along their diagonal lines o to lie against t e inner faces of their associated ends B', and the free ends e of the retaining Strips E are then tucked or passed under the infolded corner-sections to position between these sections and the inner faces of the ends where they are held in place by the interlocking of their angular edges or notches with the corresponding opposite angular edges or notches of the flaps. These angular portions or notches thus coperate to proper1 osition the retaining strips upon the en aps. The ends of the strlps 1n place between the infolded corner-sections and ends hold the flaps D in position to retain the corner-sections in their infolded position to kee the sides and ends erected. The fact that t e strip is placed on the outer or upper face of its associated tlap and along the edge thereof prevents the strip from bending or exing when the parts are set u with its ends inserted between the infol ed corner sections and the associated end-wall and enables it to hold the lateral or end-portions of its associated .flap 'against rising from their associated wall when the blank is setup or erected; this prevents the corner-sections from unfolding and retains the sides and ends in their erect positions. The fastening of the retaining strips at their centers leaves their lateral portions free to be easily flexed or bent to pass under the infolded corner-sections.

It is of course obvious that the retainingr strips and flaps will interlock even if the latter are cut away at their ends and the former at its center as along the lines d and e3 respectively, as the opposing faces or edges co-act in any event; also the retaining strips may be straight or with plain edges. Various other changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the present invention.

I claim A collapsed box, comprising a base, a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls vflexibly connected to the base, one set of walls lying flat on the base with folding comer-sections at their ends, tiaps flexibly secured to the other set of walls andv having their edges notched near their ends inside thefolds of the corner sections, and a flexible retaining .strip secured near its center to the upper face of each flap alongthe edge thereof and having notches near its ends engaging the notches of the associated flap, the notches being of such depth that the edges of the associated strips and flaps are Hush, said strips bein of sufiicient length that their ends project eyond the notches and lie between the infolded corner-sections and the associated end-wall and hold the ends of' the flaps against rising from their associated end-wall when the parts are erected in box-like forni.

ln testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. SEEGMILLER.

Witnesses:

J. McRoasR'r-s, H. C. LUs'r. 

